Fewer Black Veterans Complete Referrals for Lung Cancer Screening
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, June 16, 2023 -- Black veterans have significantly lower odds of completing lung cancer screening (LCS) than White veterans even after adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic risk factors, according to a study published online June 16 in JAMA Network Open.
Neelima Navuluri, M.D., from the Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina, and colleagues examined whether racial disparities in completing lung cancer screening after referral exist within the Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System. Analysis included 4,562 veterans referred for LCS between July 1, 2013, and Aug. 31, 2021.
The researchers found that 37.1 percent of veterans ultimately completed screening, while 59.3 percent never connected with the LCS program after referral and an informational mailer or telephone call, indicating a critical point in the LCS process. Among Black veterans, screening rates were substantially lower, compared to White veterans (30.5 versus 41.3 percent). When adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic factors, Black veterans had 0.66 times lower odds of screening completion. Risk factors associated with lower odds of screening completion among Black veterans included age, marital status, and current smoking status, while pack-year history, combat veteran status, and care assessment needs were factors associated with higher odds of screening completion.
"These findings can inform qualitative and implementation research to design and assess interventions focused on improving LCS rates among Black veterans," the authors write.
One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted June 2023
Read this next
2024 ASCO Annual Meeting to Focus on Clinical Cancer Research Impacting Patient Care
THURSDAY, May 23, 2024 -- The 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting is being held May 31 to June 4, 2024, in Chicago and online. The theme of this...
Socioeconomic Status Transitions Tied to Dementia Risk
THURSDAY, May 23, 2024 -- Upward and downward socioeconomic status (SES) transitions are associated with the risk for dementia and the length of dementia-free periods during the...
4-Dimensional Model Can Predict Lymph Node Metastases in Breast Cancer
THURSDAY, May 23, 2024 -- A deep learning model using tumor dynamic contrast-enhanced breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has high sensitivity for identifying lymph node...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.